A century of poverty

Chapter 3 Itinerant Doctor

"Alright, you go ahead, sir."

The doctor followed the old man into his home. He saw that the old man was wearing a melon-shaped hat, a black robe, and an earth-yellow short jacket, with an earth-colored money pouch slung over his shoulder. He was in his forties, thin, and had yellow teeth.

As we entered the house, the old man politely pointed to the stool next to the high table across the hall and said, "Please sit down."

The gentleman politely replied, "Thank you!"

He put down the bell and money pouch on the high table, and the old man sat down on the other side with him.

Second Madam hurriedly got off the kang (heated brick bed): "Sir, sit down and rest for a while. I'll boil some water for you."

The man said, "Don't bother, I'm not thirsty, I won't drink."

As he spoke, his eyes scanned the room. Behind the door was a wardrobe, a large cabinet on the north side, a washbasin in a corner, and a wooden stool on each side of a tall table against the west wall—the furnishings were simple.

The patient lying on the woven cloth blanket on the kang (a heated brick bed) was quite ill.

A newborn baby was swaddled beside him.

Second Madam boiled water, poured it into a light green, open-mouthed porcelain teacup, and brought it over, saying, "Please have some water, sir." She then turned around and brought another cup to the old man.

Second Master was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed). When he saw someone coming, he turned over and faced the person.

After taking a few sips of water, the gentleman put down his teacup and looked at the second master lying down: "Is this the patient?"

The old man replied, "Exactly."

Sir: "How long have you been sick? Have you seen a doctor?"

The old man said, "When I was hoeing the fields, I would go out at midday and it wouldn't take long. But when the weather got bad, I wouldn't feel energetic anymore."

The doctor stood up, took out a pulse pillow from his money pouch, and placed it beside the second master's pillow. The second master stretched out his wrist and placed it on the pulse pillow. The doctor sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and pressed his fingers against the second master's pulse points. The old man followed and stood beside him, while the second mistress also watched.

The doctor frowned, took a deep breath, examined the second master's eyelids, and parted his lips. "Oh dear, this man is quite ill. His eyes are lifeless, his face is sallow, his spirit is scattered, and his pulse is rapid and slippery. He really needs a good treatment!"

The old man asked, "Sir, do you have a way to cure this?"

The doctor said smugly, "Of course. I have been practicing medicine for many years and have seen countless patients. Let me write a prescription, and you can take the medicine. I guarantee it will cure your illness."

The old man said, "Then I thank you in advance."

The second grandmother's gloomy expression vanished upon hearing this.

The father and son believed the doctor's diagnosis without question. The old man paid the consultation fee, and the doctor got up to leave. The old man saw him off and watched him descend the steep slope.

The next day, the old man went out early to personally go to Habo to get the medicine.

After returning home, Second Grandmother carefully prepared the medicine and served it to Second Master. After three doses, his condition did not improve; in fact, it worsened, and he could no longer open his eyes.

That afternoon, the second grandmother was breastfeeding her child while her daughter, Xiaodie, played nearby.

Second Master suddenly reached out and tugged at Second Madam's clothes: "Bring the child over here so I can see him." Second Madam quickly turned the child in front of Second Master.

"Xiaodie, come here and let Daddy take a look."

Xiaodie came to her father and looked at him.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to—you...you have to raise the child..." she said, panting heavily.

Second Grandma hurriedly put the child down and called out, "Xiaodie, quickly go find your grandfather." She quickly helped Second Grandpa up and rubbed his chest.

Xiaodie landed on her feet, grabbed the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with her little hands, and then ran towards the room where her grandfather and uncle lived.

The old man came over and saw that his son was already dying.

Fourth Master, with narrow eyes, a prominent nose, and a sallow complexion that always seemed shrouded in ash, always wore a small round hat and wore drab, gray clothes that were often stained. At this moment, he was also hobbling towards the house on his crutches.

Third Grandmother came over to check and asked the old man, "Should I send someone to inform Li Tian?"

Diaoyutai is twelve li away from Zhuangtuo. At this time, the Second Grandmother's family members were rushing over upon hearing the news. The Second Uncle was leading a donkey, with the Second Grandmother's mother, Granny Li, sitting on its back.

Grandma Li had four sons, and her second daughter was her only daughter.

My second uncle urged the donkey on, and finally arrived before dark.

Looking at her heartbroken daughter and her two young children, Grandma Li couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face.

Moo-tou's mother was helping to look after things inside and outside the house. When she saw Grandma Li arrive, she came over to greet her: "Auntie, you've come."

"Hey, you're here already?" Grandma Li replied.

Night fell, and all was pitch black. Second Master's body lay on the floor, a lamp burning above his head, and offerings laid out at his feet.

The dim, flickering light made the whole place seem even more desolate.

It was late at night. Second Grandma was taking care of the 100-day-old baby on the kang (a heated brick bed), while Granny Li held Xiaodie in her arms as she fell asleep.

The old man and his second uncle sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), heads bowed, each lost in their own thoughts.

The old man's heart was heavy with complex emotions. What had happened to his family? So much misfortune had befallen them. He had lost his wife in his prime, and his young son was disabled. After hiding in various places, he came to the countryside hoping for a peaceful life, but even that was impossible. Years of warlord conflicts had left everyone in a state of panic.

My eldest son went to Tianjin, cut off his queue (traditional Mandarin braid), and is still disobedient; his whereabouts are still unknown. Now, my second son is seriously ill and not even thirty-eight years old! I, an old man with white hair, am going to have to bury my son. One misfortune after another, why does human misfortune always seem to surround me?

With her second son gone, she was left behind as an orphan and widow. The two children are so young, how will they manage in the future?

One winter morning in 1926, the Year of the Tiger, the north wind carried light snow.

In the courtyard, a red clay-lacquered coffin sat on a small stool, and the people carrying it, along with an elder, were securing it with a carrying pole. Third Master had received the news and rushed home. He was of medium build, neither fat nor thin, with a fair face, small eyes, a bulging nose, and thin lips. He looked on with a sullen, expressionless face.

At the foreman's command, "Rise!"

The old man's heart was like oil being fried. His newborn grandson, wrapped in a blanket with his father's funeral banner tucked into his shoulder, braved the wind and snow to lead the way, escorting his father to his final resting place. How cruel, how heartless, how helpless this selfless and extraordinary mission was!

Second Grandma was heartbroken; she was filled with grief, fear, panic, and helplessness.

She cried out, "How am I supposed to live like this?!" before collapsing to the ground.

She was only twenty-seven years old that year.